Vertical slat venetian blind suspension



p 1957 A. J. TOT] 2,807,322

VERTICAL SLAT VENEITIAN BLIND SUSPENSION Filed Feb. 8, 1954 IN VEN TORATTORNEY United States Patent VERTICAL SLAT. VENETIAN BLIND SUSPENSIONAndrew J. Toti, Modesto, Calif. Application February 8', 1954,,SerialN0. 408,851

Claims. (Cl. 160-168) This invention relates toVenetian blinds in whichthe individual slats hang vertically from special suspension means attheir upper ends, particularly to improvements in the construction ofsuch suspension.

In the present construction'the slats are each suspended to hangvertically from a horizontally extending track or baralong which theslats may be traversed or moved bodily toward one or both ends of. thetrack, at a window or door opening, and the slats may he turned, each ona vertical axis, to open or close the spaces. between the slats.

manner of suspending the slats for simultaneous turning while at thesame time preserving; their traversing movement, while maintainingunusual. stability at any point of adjustment. Other advantages anddetails of the preferred construction will appear in the accompanyingdescription and drawings.

In the drawings---- Fig. l is a cross section of the traverse track andsupporting rock bar taken along the line 1-1- of Fig. 2 and with a slatsuspended from a bracket depending from a carrier which slides in thetrack in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. l showing a portion of the trackcover bar and with four slats suspended therefrom, the slats beingindicated in open position-that is-extending transversely of the track,and spaced apart as far as they will go.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged drawing of the bracket or hanger and the hangerstem depending therefrom with the upper end of a slat secured'thereto.

Fig. 4 is a cross section of Fig. 3 taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a side view of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a cross section of Fig. 3 taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the hanger stem.

Fig. 8 is a side view of a hanger bracket of modified form and hangerstem with spur gear attached.

Fig. 9 is a cross section of Fig. 8 taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is an elevation of a hanger bracket of modified form having anarcuate lower wall, with a hanger stem supported thereon.

Fig. 11 is a cross section of Fig. 10 taken across the line 11-11thereof.

Briefly described the invention is somewhat similar to the vertical slatsuspension shown in my copending patent application filed under SerialNo. 300,064 on date of July 21, 1952, inasmuch as it is operated to openand close the slats by rocking the traverse track or outer supportingbar or split pipe enclosing it, but in detail is considerably differentas will presently appear.

The traverse track is herein indicated at 1, it is reinforced by acircular bar or pipe-like member 2 to which it is securely attached asby soldering, spot welding, or riveting so as to form a rigid unit withthe, track 1.

The present improvement has to do with the particular The track is ofthe overhead conventional form in having confronting lower edges 1 alongwhich slide the grooved carriers or sliders 3, which may be solidblocks, pressed of sheet metal or other material, or of wire, all as nowwell known in the art. The bar or pipe member 2 is slotted along itsunderside as at 4 and suitably mounted for transverse rocking motion ason end pivots 5 under any pull cord or worm wheel control as at 14 nowwell known in the art, and as shown in my copending patent referred to.Rigidly attached to by any suitable means and depending from the slidersor carriers 3 are special brackets 6 having spaced side plates 7suspended from which is a hanger stem 8 the lower end 8' of which issuitably formed and adapted for attaching to the upper end of a slat 9by any suitable means, but here shown as by centrally notching the upperend of the slat as at 9' and passing the end of the slat up into a slot10 in the lower end 8 of the stem and passing a small cotter pin 11through and spreading the two ends of the cotter, so as topreferablymake a rigid tho easily removed connection of the slat and hanger stemand one which is self centering. The suspension of the hanger stem tothe bracket comprises a ball-like head or knob at the upper end of thestem 12 with a reduced size neck 13 below it loosely engaged bya'rounding edged seat 14 carried by the bracket and with the stemextending down between the spaced bracket Walls to the slat. 9 belowso-that the slat can be moved between the walls of the bracket and alsoturned or revolved on the ball-like suspension above. The slats may beof any material, fiat, crowned, or ribbed, as well known in the art.

The seat for supporting the ball-like knobor head at the upper end ofthe stem is preferably formed of lips 15 struck out of the side walls 7and slanting slightly downward toward the free and rounded edge opennig16 which embraces the reduced neck 13 of the stem, also the openingformed is preferably somewhat elliptical so that the ball-like portionof the stem will always seek a central position due to gravity pull ofthe depending slat.

The spaced side walls 7 of the bracket are preferably made rigid as by acouple of spacing shoulder rivets 17 or their equivalent, tho it ofthick metal their secure attachment to the slider will sufiice. Near thelower end of the bracket the stem 8 carries several (preferably three)laterally projecting pins 18, which function similarly to the teeth of aspur gear and engage in holes 19 formed in one side wall of the bracket.These holes are arranged along an arcuate line struck from the ballsuspension of the stem so that as the" stem with its rigidly attachedslat is swung in the plane of the bracket walls on the ball suspension,these pins 18 will engage the holes 19 successively and turn the stemand the slat on the axis of the stem, or conversely, if the track isrocked either to right or left to swing the bracket at an angle, theweight of the slats will hold the slats vertical While the movingbracket when rocked either way by the rocking of the track willgradually turn the slats to about degrees either Way, and the rockinggear'14 or friction of mounting the track bar, or any desired lockingmeans, will hold the slats at any position of adjustment until the baris rocked back to central position as they gradually assume the openposition shown in Fig. 1.

The several projecting pins 18 shown in Fig. 6 may extend directly fromthe hanger stem 8 if it be thick enough, or the stem may be enlarged atthat point, or the pins may extend from a small collar or hub pressedover or secured to the stem (as the gear hub 20 of Fig. 8), or theentire stem as shown in Fig. 7 may be integral. Instead of the PatentedSept. 24, 1957 t of the side plates 7 of the bracket, as indicated inFigs. 8 and 9 and with the opposite side plate forming a guiding edge 23against the hub of the gear. Of course the gear teeth and guide formedon the bracket are on a curved line as are the holes-shown for the pins18 in Fig. l and Fig. 3.

A further modification of the arrangement for turning the stem as thetrack is rocked is indicated in Figs. 10 and 11 wherein the brackettakes a form including a curved bottom wall 24 with a slot 25 in itcurved as in Fig. ll and through which slot at reduced part of the stem8 hangs with an elongated knob like, upper end 26 slidably sup ported bythe edges of the slot 25 in the curved bottom plate so it will alwaysseek the bottom central position from the weight of the slat, and whenthe bracket is tilted or canted by rocking the track either way the knobwill slide to lowest position at either side as the case may be, and inso doing will'swing around the curved slot 25 and turn the slat carriedby the stem 8 as described, and when the elongated knob gets to the endof the slot it will strike the end wall of the bracket and turn paralleltherewith as indicated at 26 in Figs. 11 and 10, or enough to close theslats. A slight hump 27 in the lower wall 24 at opposite ends of theslot assure proper return of the elongated knob. The curved walladjacent the slot should be formed to maintain the elongated knobsubstantially horizontal as the bracket is canted.

As indicated in Fig. 1, either one or both of the bracket walls mayextend above the slider as indicated at 28 to provide any desired shapeof connection for the usual limit spacing tapes or carrier sliding cords29, or other slat limit spacing device desired.

Having thus described my improvements in a vertical slat opening andclosing control which at the same time preserves the traverse movementof the slat suspending sliders or carriers, and some of its possiblevariations, what I claim is:

1. In a vertical slat blind suspension of the type including carriersengaging and movable along an overhead transversely rockable track andfrom which carriers the slats are respectively wholly suspended fromtheir upper ends, the improvement which comprises carriers slidablyengaging an overhead track, a rigid stem extending downwardly from eachcarrier to a slat and adapted for securing to the upper end thereof forturning therewith on a vertical axis, and universal joint means formedon each carrier and stem suspending said stem from the carrier wherebythe carrier may be canted transversely of the Cir track when the trackis rocked the slats and their stems will always hang vertically by theirown weight and thereby cause relative motion between the stem and thecarrier, and means carried by each stern cooperating with its carrierarranged to turn the stem and its slat on a vertical axis operated bysaid relative motion of the stem and carrier as the carriers are canted.

2. In a structure as set out in claim 1, said universal joint meanscomprising a ball-like portion on the upper part of said stem seated ina socket carried by said carrier.

3. In a structure as set out in claim 1, said universal joint meanscomprising .a ball-like portion on the upper part of said stem seated ina socket carried by said carrier, and means for turning the stem as thecarriers are canted comprising cooperating gear-means on the stem andcarrier operated by the relative movement of the parts as stated. 7 w pV 4. In a structure as set out in claim 1, said universal joint meanscomprising a ball-like portion on the upper part of said stern seated ina socket carried by said carrier, said socket supported between twospaced guides between which guides the stem may swing bodily along apath transversely of the track only, and the means for turning the stemas the carriers are canted comprising cooperating gear-means on the stemand carrier operated by the relative movement of the parts as stated.

5. For a vertical slat blind of the character described means forsuspending the slats from their upper ends respectively comprising arigid stem arranged at its lower end for rigid attachment to the upperend of a slat and project upwardly therefrom, said stem provided with aknob at its upper end, a cooperating carrier adapted to traversablyengage an overhead track and provided with a socket to suspend said stemby said knob to form a universal joint therewith, guide means dependingfrom said carrier guiding the stem to a bodily swinging movementtransversely of the track while free to turn on itsvertical axis, andcooperating gear means on said stem and carrier arranged to turn saidstem positively on its axis as said stem is relatively so swung inrespect to the carrier.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,377,746 Bell June 5, 1946 2,503,441 Kamm Apr. 11, 1950 2,591,775 Boppet al Apr. 8, 1952 2,604,159 Wright July 22, 1952 2,625,219 Peck Jan.13, 1953

